Sarah
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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal and Western Advertiser Wednesday 31 Jul 1918
Page 6 Column 5
TAUNTON BOROUGH POLICE-COURT.
WEDNESDAY. - Before the Mayor (Alderman H. J. Van TRUMP), Mr. W. H. WESTLAKE, and Mr. W. J. VILLAR.
CYCLING WITHOUT LIGHTS. - Mrs. HALLIDAY and her son, Alec HALLIDAY, of Wellington-road, were summoned for riding bicycles without lights at 10.35 p.m., on the 19th inst. - P.C. WOOLCOTT gave evidence, and the defendants were dismissed on payment of 4s costs in each case.
WIFE'S COMPLAINT OF CRUELTY.
HUSBAND WHO SMASHED UP FURNITURE.
William CRIDLAND, a discharged soldier, was summoned by his wife, May CRIDLAND, of East-reach, for persistent cruelty. - He pleaded not guilty. The wife's story was that she had been married four years and had two children. Her husband had been in the Army and since his discharge he had not given her sufficient to buy food for herself and the children. On the previous Friday he drew £5 due to him from the Army and went and spent £4 10s on a suit of clothes, refusing to give her anything, although she had been without food for two days. In the evening he came home speechlessly drunk, and started illtreating her. She protected herself by throwing chairs at him, and managed to get out of the house. He then started roaring like a lion and smashed up a lot of the furniture. She tried to find a policeman, and on returning to the court he attacked her, and she protected herself by striking him across the head with a bottle. That gave him a cut on the head. He had assaulted her on previous occasions, one of which was three weeks before her last baby was born. Her married life had been full of misery. - Mrs. PIPPEN, a neighbour, said she heard defendant rowing with his wife, and after Mrs. CRIDLAND got out of the house she heard him smashing up the furniture. When complainant returned defendant struck her at the top of the court, and she hit him in self defence. - By defendant: Witness did on a previous occasion offer to become a witness for him over some trouble with his wife, but that was a different matter. - Mrs. TROTT, another neighbour, also gave evidence, stating that she saw defendant come home drunk and heard him attack his wife, and afterwards break up the furniture and crockery. He also burnt the baby's clothes and the curtain, which might have caused a serious fire. - Defendant said that when he came back from the service he found 35 pawn tickets in the house, and many things he valued missing. His wife had disposed of half the furniture, and he told her that as long as she lived in that court he would not come home at night or give her more money. - Plaintiff retorted that she she pawned and sold things to get money to send to her husband whilst he was in the Army. He was always writing home for money and parcels and she could not do it on 19s 6d a week separation pay. That was why she left Wood-street to go into a cheaper house. - Defendant admitted having drank a bottle ad half of whisky on Friday, but he was willing to sign the pledge not to take another drop if his wife would come back and live in a better house with him. - P.C. WOOLCOTT stated that he was called to defendant's house on Friday night and found it in darkness. CRIDLAND was inside, but in a very intoxicated condition. All the furniture was upset, and many things were smashed, including a lot of crockery. Witness asked him why he had done it, and he replied that the neighbours had been calling him names. His wife came in shortly afterwards and complained of having been assaulted. Witness noticed that defendant had received a nasty blow on the head, and that there was blood on his face. He advised him to go to bed, and also spoke to Mrs. CRIDLAND, but she refused to remain in the house. - In reply to the Bench complainant firmly declined to live with her husband again. She would rather work her fingers to the bone than go back with him. - The Bench made an order upon defendant to contribute 20s a week towards the maintenance of his wife and children. - Complainant said she would like to tell them that she was obliged to pawn his new suit of clothes for 17s 6d, in order to get food, for herself and children on Saturday.
<NOTES: William or Willie CRIDLAND or SUMMERHAYES son of William SUMMERHAYES and Jane DYER, married Annie Maud BASKWILL and May or Mary SOUTH
May or Mary SOUTH daughter of Fred SOUTH and Edith Elizabeth GRABHAM, married William or Willie CRIDLAND or SUMMERHAYES>